1897] CURRENT LITERATURE 65 
plates of tissue from the petiole show that the carbohydrates travel stem- 
wards from the lamina in straight lines. Their path is to be found in the 
straight leptome strands and not in the parenchyma, (2) Research by gird- 
ling, retaining an angular interrupted bridge of cortex, shows that the paths 
in the leptome itself are straight, and that only the sieve cells and companion 
cells function in this conduction. The leptome parenchyma, including the 
pith rays, serve for storage. (3) Dead leptome elements, as well as those 
narcotized with chloroform are [not]‘3 capable of conduction. On the con- 
trary, plasmolysis does not interfere with their function. (4) Streaming and 
continuity of the plasma are not to be considered as real factors in the trans- 
portation of material by the leptome, since it occurs normally without them. 
The real impulse is to be sought in the taking up and giving out of the 
transported substances by the living protoplasm. (5) The acquisition of 
independence by parts of a plant so as to form separate individuals is as a 
rule a reaction due to irritability, released by the stoppage of exchanges with 
the mother individual.— C. R. B 
THE FuNGI OF ALABAMA have been listed by L. M. Underwood and F. 
S. Earle in Bulletin no. 80 of the Alabama Experiment Station. The list is 
a remarkably long one, containing 1110 species. The specimens on which 
the work is based are all accessible; the few not seen by the authors, chiefly 
of the Berkeley material at Kew, are so indicated, and the original descrip- 
tions of the name are usually given. The list represents one year’s indefati- 
.gable collecting by the two authors, and the published results of the explora- 
tion of Professor Atkinson (1889-92) and Judge Peters (1854-64), with a few 
other random collections of no considerable amount. There are no descrip- 
tions of new species, and few notes or changes of name to interest the sys- 
tematist, but there are some innovations in the nomenclature of the higher 
groups, and much historical bibliographical, analytical, and descriptive 
matter, the latter especially interesting to collectors. The divisions recog- 
nized are Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. The orders have the 
uniform ending ales (e. g., Mucorales, Uredinales, and two with abbreviated 
roots — Hymeniales and Gastrales), while the families take acee@ (e. g., Phai- 
lacee, Lycoperdacee, Nidulariacee, and Hymenogastracee of the order Gas- 
trates). As a contribution to the fungous flora of a region of which little has 
been known, the publication is one of unusual importance.— J. C. A. 
: THREE ANNUAL REPORTS of Experiment Stations for the year 1896 con- 
tain many original data and many valuable observations in vegetable path- 
ology, and in a few other subjects. F. D. Chester (Del. 8: 35-69) gives the 
results of numerous experiments in treatment of peach blight and rot with 
Bordeaux mixture and copper acetate, similar treatment of apple scab and 
*S Omitted by typographical error from the report. 
